Owners of Edwardian Hotel St George in Harrogate record strong Christmas trading

The company said it enjoyed bumper bookings during the festive break with 82 per cent of available rooms booked up by guests getting away across the north of England and North Wales.

The group added eight sites to its collection in 2022 including the 90-room Hotel St George in Harrogate, which was acquired in February, and stands close to attractions including the Turkish Baths and Betty’s Tearooms.

The Inn Collection said its performance over the New Year was particularly strong across the group, with 95 per cent occupancy across its 23 open properties, six of which were fully booked.

The Inn Collection Group’s rooms director Kate Bentley said the performance showed that offering value for money can help the industry weather the current economic storm.

She said: “We’re delighted to have had so many guests choose to stay with us, and make a stay at our inns part of their festive celebrations.

“The economic challenges facing everyone are well documented, but the booking rates show that if you can offer people a break that they feel presents value for money, the customers are out there.

“Our teams across the group have done an outstanding job in allowing us to do that and to finish the year on a very positive note.”

At the start of December, the group completed the purchase of the art-deco Midland Hotel in Morecambe from Lancaster Foundation.

The Inn Collection Group managing director Sean Donkin said: “2022 is a year we can be proud of. Our people have shown huge resilience in the face of a challenging climate, and it is great to have seen that reap rewards throughout the year.

“We’re now looking forward to an exciting 2023 with the business set to evolve further with 12 Inns currently under refurbishment set to reopen and deliver further growth for the group.”